A Comparative StudyofThe Indonesian and EnglishArticles ...
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A Comparative Study of The Indonesian and English Articles :r x. Nfltfar 1. Int rod uctI on C ommonwealth Department of Edu- cation in Australia (1983:22) has concluded that articles will be an area of difficulty for Indonesian students. This is because the" Bt (Bahasa Indonesia) has no real equivalent sotthe English definite and indefinite articles. In many cases where the articles are used in English no corresponding word occurs in Bahasa Indonesia". Errors related to the use of articles deserve close attention because articles are not only one of the grammar elements, but also • extremely frequent in English (Berry,1991:252). Carrol, et al (1971) have found that articles account for almost every tenth word In Eng lish. This paper means to explore the similar.. ties and differences of the articles in In- donesian and English, and how the find- ings may affect Indonesian students' ficutties in using th e English articles. is essential for learners of English either as a second or foreign language. Fromkln. et al. (1984:11) write tbat " to understand the nature of language we must understand the nature of this inter- nalised. unconscious set of rules wh ich is part of every grammar of every langu- age". There are some definitions about grammar, and "the word grammar has various meanings · ( Quirk et al••1985:12). Robin (1971:17) states that grammar · is concerned with the patterns and arrangements of units established and organized on cr iteria other t han those referable to phonetic features". Ur (1988:4) defines grammar as " the way a lan guage ma nipulates and comb i nes llllmlJltiora /1/11996 wo rds (or bits of wo rds) in order to form longer units of meaning". Quirk et aI. do not wa nt to define grammar (1985:10) but stress that grammar includes both syntax and the as pect of morphology ( the inter- nal structure of word s) that deals with inflections. Howe ver. they provide a defi- nition about prescriptive grammar (Quirk et al., 1985: t 4) leo a set of regu latbns that are based on what is evaluated as correct or incorrect in the standard varie- ties", There are" several thousands of lan- guages· ( Finegan et aI.1992:247) all over the world. Those lang uages can be identical to one another or striki ngly diffe- rent. These differences may include the sound, grammar, syn tax , morphol ogy, meaning, etc. There have been studie s on grammar comparisons from one lan- guage to another. Th e result of the study may not only deepen the understanding of the language users in general but also the advancement of the study of lan- guages in particular. It is with tha t in mind tha t this paper, about the comparative study of the Indonesian and English artt- des, is written. S entences used as examples are numbered for easier referenc e. and cer- tain symbols and special printing effects are used in this paper, for clarity and ease in reading. Th ey are : 1. Underlining : for specifically referred English 'NOms e.g. The indefinite artide an is used before a noun beginning with a vowel sound. 2. Italics : for specifically referred Indo- nesian words
Transcript of A Comparative StudyofThe Indonesian and EnglishArticles ...
A Comparative Study of The Indonesianand English Articles
:rx. Nfltfar
1. Int roductIon
Commonwealth Department of Education in Australia (1983:22) has
concluded that articles will be an area ofdifficulty for Indonesian students. This isbecause the" Bt (Bahasa Indonesia) hasno real equivalentsotthe English def initeand indefinite articles. In many caseswhere the articles are used in English nocorresponding word occurs in BahasaIndonesia". Errors related to the use ofarticles deserve close attention becausearticles are not only one of the grammarelements, but also • extremely frequentin English (Berry,1991:252). Carrol, et al(197 1) have found that articles accountfor almost every tenth word In English.This paper means to explore the similar..ties and differences of the articles in Indonesian and Eng lish, and how the findings may affect Indonesian students' dif~ficutties in using th e English articles.
is essential for learners of Englisheither as a second or fore ign language.Fromkln. et al. (1984: 11) write tbat " tounderstand the nature of language wemust understand the nature of this internalised. unconscious set of rules wh ich ispart of every grammar of every language". There are some definitions aboutgrammar, and "the word grammar hasv a r io us meanings · ( Quirk etal••1985:12). Robin (1971:17) states thatgrammar · is concerned wit h the patternsand arrangements of units establishedand organized on criteria other thanthose referable to phonetic features". Ur(1988:4) def ines gramm ar as " the way alanguage manipulates and combines
llllmlJltiora /1/11996
wo rds (or bits of wo rds) in order to fo rmlonger units of meaning". Qui rk et aI. donot wa nt to def ine grammar (1985:10) butstress that grammar includes both syntaxand the aspect of morphology ( the internal structure of words) that deals withinflections. However. they provide a definition about prescriptive grammar (Quirket al., 1985: t 4) leo a set of regu latbnsthat are bas ed on what is evaluated ascorrect or incorrect in the standa rd varieties",
There are" several thousands of languages· ( Finegan et aI.1992:247) allover the world. Those languages can beidentical to one another or strikingly different. These differences may include thesound, g rammar, syntax, morphology,meaning, etc. There have been studie son grammar comparisons from one language to another. Th e result of the studymay not only deepen the understandingof the language users in general but alsothe advancement of the study of languages in particular. It is with that in mindthat this pape r, about the comparativestudy of the Indonesian and English arttdes, is wr itten.
Sentences used as examples arenumbered for easier reference. and certain symbols and special printing effectsare used in this paper, for clarity and easein read ing. Th ey are :1. Underlining : for specifically referred
English 'NOmse.g. The indefinite artide an is usedbefore a noun beginning with a vowelsound.
2. Italics : for specifically referred Indonesian words
